Our opinion: Yes to Lafourche water tax, no to Lafourche levee tax

Published: Wednesday, December 5, 2012 at 2:59 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, December 5, 2012 at 2:59 p.m.

Lafourche Parish voters will decide the fates of two tax issues on Saturday.

The proposed renewal of the Bayou Lafourche Freshwater District's property tax is necessary for the continued operation of a vital public service. It deserves your support.

The proposed 1-cent sales tax to pay for projects for the North Lafourche Levee District, though, is a different matter. That tax would pose a substantial cost to local people and businesses, and there has been no compelling case advanced in favor of the new tax. That tax should be rejected by local voters.

Freshwater tax — SUPPORT

The Bayou Lafourche Freshwater District is responsible for getting freshwater from the Mississippi River to about 300,000 people throughout our region.

That work is important. The water that comes out of your sink or shower faucet does not just appear at your home. It has to be pumped out of the Mississippi River and into Bayou Lafourche. From there, it goes to various treatment stations and into the system that takes it to your home.

Without the Freshwater District's tax, another form of revenue would have to pay for pumping that water and getting it to all the local consumers.

There has been some concern that Lafourche voters might confuse the two taxes facing them. Don't let that happen.

The Freshwater District's tax is simply a renewal of a tax that has been in place and has undergone little change since the 1950s.

Approving the renewal of this tax will result in no change for local taxpayers.

If the tax is rejected, though, local officials will have to scramble to find another way to pay for their operations.

Let's keep the system that works as it is. Vote in favor of this tax renewal.

North lafourche levee tax — reject

The North Lafourche Levee District is proposing a new 1-cent sales tax for Lafourche Parish north of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway in Larose.

While this ambitious tax, with the levee district aiming to use it for millions in levee upgrades, has the noble goal of improving flood protection for north Lafourche, there is no compelling reason to believe these purposes are best served by such a large, new tax.

Levees are certainly a worthwhile public expenditure. How we generate that money, though, and how much we should collect are up for debate.

In this case, the 1-cent tax would generate an estimated $8.6 million a year. That is a significant stream of tax money.

The district has also identified a list of $248 million in projects it will use the money to complete.

What it has not done is construct a compelling argument why these projects must be completed in the next 20 years and why this kind of tax is the best way to pay for them.

Voters should reject this tax in the hopes that the Levee District will re-examine the issue and make a better case for this plan or come up with a different plan that can be better justified.

<p>Lafourche Parish voters will decide the fates of two tax issues on Saturday.</p><p>The proposed renewal of the Bayou Lafourche Freshwater District's property tax is necessary for the continued operation of a vital public service. It deserves your support.</p><p>The proposed 1-cent sales tax to pay for projects for the North Lafourche Levee District, though, is a different matter. That tax would pose a substantial cost to local people and businesses, and there has been no compelling case advanced in favor of the new tax. That tax should be rejected by local voters.</p><h3>Freshwater tax — SUPPORT</h3>
<p>The Bayou Lafourche Freshwater District is responsible for getting freshwater from the Mississippi River to about 300,000 people throughout our region.</p><p>That work is important. The water that comes out of your sink or shower faucet does not just appear at your home. It has to be pumped out of the Mississippi River and into Bayou Lafourche. From there, it goes to various treatment stations and into the system that takes it to your home.</p><p>Without the Freshwater District's tax, another form of revenue would have to pay for pumping that water and getting it to all the local consumers.</p><p>There has been some concern that Lafourche voters might confuse the two taxes facing them. Don't let that happen.</p><p>The Freshwater District's tax is simply a renewal of a tax that has been in place and has undergone little change since the 1950s.</p><p>Approving the renewal of this tax will result in no change for local taxpayers.</p><p>If the tax is rejected, though, local officials will have to scramble to find another way to pay for their operations.</p><p>Let's keep the system that works as it is. Vote in favor of this tax renewal.</p><h3>North lafourche levee tax — reject</h3>
<p>The North Lafourche Levee District is proposing a new 1-cent sales tax for Lafourche Parish north of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway in Larose.</p><p>While this ambitious tax, with the levee district aiming to use it for millions in levee upgrades, has the noble goal of improving flood protection for north Lafourche, there is no compelling reason to believe these purposes are best served by such a large, new tax.</p><p>Levees are certainly a worthwhile public expenditure. How we generate that money, though, and how much we should collect are up for debate.</p><p>In this case, the 1-cent tax would generate an estimated $8.6 million a year. That is a significant stream of tax money.</p><p>The district has also identified a list of $248 million in projects it will use the money to complete.</p><p>What it has not done is construct a compelling argument why these projects must be completed in the next 20 years and why this kind of tax is the best way to pay for them.</p><p>Voters should reject this tax in the hopes that the Levee District will re-examine the issue and make a better case for this plan or come up with a different plan that can be better justified.</p><p>Editorials represent the opinions of</p><p>the newspaper, not of any individual.</p>